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Dear readers–Hello! I am here today with Melissa Norr, a librarian that I met on a blogger panel at Washington Romance Writers a few weeks ago. Melissa is going to tell us all about a new–well, new-ish–app called Litsy.

MELISSA NORR: Litsy is an app-only book focused social media. It’s relatively young in that it has only been out a few years on iPhones and only about a year for Androids. It is often described as “if Goodreads and Instagram had a baby” and that’s pretty accurate.

Sample Litsy page

Much of the content on Litsy is book based in that Littens (Litsy users) post books they are reading or want to read as well as short reviews of books they have read. Every post requires that a book be tagged but despite that there are non-book related posts, mostly in the realm of sharing likes and dislikes so Littens can get to know each other. There are also many pet related posts and #catsoflitsy and #dogsoflitsy are popular tags on the app.

That said, like most social media, the more you put in, the more you’ll get out of it. Interaction is key on Litsy. Following, posting, liking, and commenting are the key to growing your Litfluence (a score generated by Listy based on interactions) and gaining followers.

The Littens @raimeygallant, @TrishB, and @julesG created and collated a #LitsyTips tag with some wonderful advice and hints for joining, using, and getting the most out of Litsy.

MADELINE IVA: Given the hesitation that many timid folk may have about getting more involved in Goodreads you might want to check this new app out. I think our own lovely Kiersten Hallie Krum put it best: Goodreads is fabulous! But it can go from friendly to toxic in the time it takes a sports car to go from zero to sixty. Melissa, are there any reviewers you’d recommend?

MELISSA NORR: If I use tags in reviews, it is usually a genre tag like #romantsy for romance or #ilovecozies for cozy mysteries. That said, anyone who follows me (or another reviewer) will always see everything we post in their feed. Litsy doesn’t use an algorithm to decide which posts show up – you see everything posted by the people you follow in chronological order.

I recommend following people based on what they review. For instance, if you write urban fantasy then follow folks who have left reviews on books in that genre. That said, the more people you follow, the more people will follow you and build your network.

I wish I knew more about angels. They have their rankings, but I can never keep them straight–can you? I know that the middle age was all about hierarchy, and there are orders of angels, and they’re in choirs or something. It’s a complicated system, but not–sez I, who loves order–not necessarily a well organized system.

Out of the Jewish angels, my favorite type is the Hashmallim — the glowing ones, amber ones. Because it just sounds hot, doncha know.

I did not know for a long time that Gabriel was the angel of revelation (again totally cool), and that he has an islamic counterpart named Jibrail — which is great sounding name–perfect for a romance novel.

Jacob wrestled the angel and then…it’s so wrong that I find this so hot.

Speaking of romance novels! Don’t you just love a good romance novel with a great angel hero? There is something about a type of angel — perhaps a little wild with the blaze of justice and the power of glory that’s appealing. I think of your typical angel-hero as physically astounding and reassuringly good. He has the tantalizing quality of a perfect temper and, often as well, the remoteness of a guy who you’re not supposed to touch. Someone you want to want you. Who you need to need you.

Now the classification systems for demons are much clearer, and they are multi-indexed. There are lists based on the nature of the demon, the sin with which they tempt people, the month in which their power was strongest, and the saints that were their adversaries, or other characteristics. (Thank you wikipedia.)

Meanwhile, there actually are Grimoires–who knew? Most of which were written in the mediaeval ages–again who knew? And There’s even something like a Hell’s Dictionary, the Dictionnaire Infernale. (cool!)

I liked the idea of a demon having a particular sinful forte. Lucifer has pride, Satan has wrath, Asmodeus gets lust. Me, I can just imagine three sexy beasts–three smoldering bad boys who exemplify these sins and…and…pardon me, I had to bite my finger and breathe deeply to regain a little control over myself.

The demons are even organized by which saint they battle. By what type of angel they were before they fell. By whom they have the most power over–I’m getting the sense that the OCD go to hell when they die — it’s very well organized down there.

Ultimately, what’s attractive about some steamy hot demon anti-hero is that he’s supremely confident. Having fallen, he’s got nothing to lose and no where to go. The bad boy is grounded and he oozes with such charisma that you are tempted to sin and sin again. Yes, a demon is mouth watering.

I’ve got demons on my mind because I’m writing a story now that includes a demon in it. It adds a touch of horror to the story, and yet the demon forces down the heroine’s barriers–sexual barriers–that once breached cannot be put back up. The demon’s presence adds a scorching touch of kink into the goodie-goodie heroine’s life.

Read any good demon/angel stories lately? Do tell. (Seriously, hit us with your recs in the comments section below)

Lady Smut is a blog for intelligent women who like to read smut. On this blog we talk about our writing, the erotic romance industry, masculinity, femininity, sexuality, and whatever makes our pulses race.